Dodge(y) deal(er)ings

[451-74Charger]

Like what I did there?

Anyway, Last week, I stopped at a local Dodge Dealer to take a look at a pre-owned Scat-Pack Challenger. I couldnt see it on the lot, but it was on the website, Facebook, Cars.com etc.
The sales person said they didnt have it and promptly asked if I was interested in a different car that was a "steal" at $6000 more than the one I was looking at. (wasnt even the same colour).
A week later and they still show the car I was interested in in Inventory, along with several new additions.

Either they use it as a bait/switch routine, or they just cant be bothered to keep the website upto date.
I was tempted to call them and ask if they still had it, but I am sure they would recognize my voice.

[70 sublime]

I have been kind of looking around for a new 2020 RAM
One dealership said yes have the exact one you are looking for
Finally found it out in the parking lot and was wrong colour and wrong size back seat size

Oh but we can sell you this for ......
Maybe you should really buy a 2019 with all these extra discounts ......
We are sure we can find you the exact 2019 you are looking for ....

They will do anything for you just to get your money

I have a 2018 and wanted the matching to my truck 2020 new style
Went through some of the numbers and they were no where close to what I want to spend
Said I wanted the same loan of 5 years with about the same payment
I have a bunch paid off on my 2018 truck

Well we can give you the same payment but on a 7 year loan

NO

Do not need to trade up that bad
Anything to get you to sign on the bottom line
Even the build a Dodge web site is a little misleading
Get these discounts and this interest rate
Well if you want this discount this is the interest rate or if you want this interest rate you can only have this discount

[Kern Dog]

This is an illegal practice.

[stripedelete]

This is an illegal practice.

I think you're right.  That's why the stock # is in the ad.

[RallyeMike]

Here's a novel idea: Just ask them what they mean by "don't have it". Is out for detailing? Salesman took his girlfriend out to lunch? In the body shop? Sold?

[BrianShaughnessy]

Salespersons mostly work on commission only      They'll say anything to close a deal.   

[Kern Dog]

You guys remember the SATURN cars from GM? They were a huge departure from the traditional way that cars were sold. Their sales people were on salary, not commission. Every other automaker left it up to their dealers to determine what sales program that they wanted.
I sold new cars in the mid 80s. It was commission OR minimum wage. Sell no cars in a month? They pay minimum wage and often cut you loose. A sales person can make a great living but it requires a lot of work because you are working between all sorts of obstacles. Customers with bad credit, crappy trade-in cars with high payoffs, Dealerships that stack the deck against their sales people, inventory that sometimes leaves you with 20 white cars when the customers want gray, blue or red.
I don't expect anyone to start a charity for car salesmen but their biggest hurdle is the store that they work. Take this example:
New car with a window sticker price of $30,000 and a dealer cost of approximately $26,500. The $3500 difference is supposed to cover the costs of the buildings, the lights, the maintenance, office staff, all furniture, cleaning crew and insurance. The sales man gets approximately 7% of the net profit BUT that is a muddy proposition...The dealership gets their cut first. If a buyer pays full price, the GROSS profit of $3500 gets tapped to the tune of $1500 by the dealer. Many times it is more. The net profit of $2000 is where the salesman gets his 7%, that is $140. THAT is IF the buyer pays full price. Some guys go days without a sale. I make $140 in 3 hours at work in construction every day. Sales is not as lucrative as people think.
I do agree that the Bait and switch is a bullshit business practice. Dealerships are supposed to actually have the advertised cars on site. The strategy is to show them the basic car then show them what options are available on another car BUT to be willing to sell them the advertised car if they insist. The advertised cars are often priced at or below dealer cost just to get customers on the lot. A rule at every dealership is to get them on the lot. Next is to get them in the car.

[c00nhunterjoe]

The sales dept of a dealership is a profit loss. The service dept is what keeps them afloat. Always has.

[Ponch ®]

This is an illegal practice.

Its hardly ever enforced.

[451-74Charger]

My last car, was advertised at $3000 under "book". '14 Chrysler 400 with less tha 3000 miles on it (2 yrs old at the time).
I know the Dealership well and have friends who work there. Strangely enough, when I went to look at the car, it was on the lot with a much higher price in the window.
They honored the advertised price and gave me a fair trade on my old car.
This would have been the 3rd or 4th car I had bought from them in a little over 4 years, (new and used).
I know they didnt make much on this car, but they put my trade on the lot at $7000 over what they gave me, so I am guessing they were trying to scrape back some of the "lost" profit from my new one.
Anyway, to cut the story short, we bought a 18 month old Grand Cherokee Trailhawk from another (non Mopar) dealer  and my local dealer gets ALL our serviceing business for both cars. But with the Mopar offers, etc, they hardly make anything on servicing either.
Just waiting a couple years to order my new Hellcat from them.

[Troy]

I called about a rather unique car a while back (one of 3 I could find in the country) and the dealer told me the owners wife had driven it home. To Florida. It would be back on the lot in March if I still wanted it.

When I was buying my Scat Pack Charger, I was using the Chrysler web site to find out which dealers had one coming in. Most were special ordered (so already sold) and every dealer tried to get me to buy a different. Even after I explained specifically what I was looking for. My parents recently had a similar experience: found a vehicle online with the options they wanted (specifically NOT the upscale model). When they got to the dealer they were pushed to the top of the line version as the one they wanted wasn't available. After they explained that they didn't want the more expensive car, they were told it would be almost impossible to find one like they had asked for. A different salesman told them the cheaper one was way at the back of the lot and they were pretty mad. They left and went to a dealer a few miles away and got exactly what they wanted.

These days a large percentage of people buy online. Dealers know people are shopping on price and can compare inventory of several dealers at a time so they'll usually do what it takes to get your business. In person, salesmen assume that you can't see all that information.

Troy